OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Mexico 2013

This is the third review of Mexico's environmental performance. It analyses progress in achieving a range of national objectives and international commitments, and presents 29 recommendations on how performance could be improved. Progress towards a green, low carbon economy is part of the assessment.

The OECD Environmental Performance Reviews provide independent assessments of countries’ progress in achieving their environmental policy objectives in order to help improve individual and collective environmental performance.

During the 2000s, Mexico experienced average economic growth. Poverty and inequality were amongst the highest in the OECD, and environmental degradation imposed significant costs on the economy. Over the last decade Mexico has made progress in:

The transition to a low-carbon, energy- and resource-efficient economy.

Managing the natural asset base.

Improving the environmental quality of life.

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Policy-making environment

In the last decade, environmental sustainability has been recognised at federal level as a key dimension of Mexico’s development. There have also been significant advances in environmental policy integration. The key issues include:

Key environmental and sustainable development initiatives.

Institutional framework for environmental and sustainable development policies.

Regulatory framework and enforcement and compliance.

Evaluation mechanisms.

Stakeholder involvement.

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Towards green growth

Mexico has to confront difficult trade-offs in pursuing its economic, social and environmental goals. This chapter examines Mexico’s use of taxation policy to pursue environmental and social objectives and progress in removing environmentally harmful subsidies. Mexico is moving forward in the areas of:

Greening the tax system.

Extending the use of other market incentives for environmental policy.

Removing environmentally harmful subsidies.

Reconciling environmental and poverty alleviation objectives.

Investing in the environment to promote economic growth.

Eco-innovation.

Environment, trade and development.

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Climate change

Mexico has assigned a high political priority to tackling climate change. It has shown great leadership in, and a strong commitment to, supporting international efforts to address climate change. The issues include:

The greenhouse gas emission profile.

The policy and institutional framework.

Climate change and energy policy.

Reducing non-energy-related emissions.

Adaptation.

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Biodiversity and forests

As a mega-diverse country, Mexico’s progress in protecting biodiversity and forest resources is of global significance. Over the last decade, it has developed a number of statistics and programmes to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Analysed are:

The institutional framework.

Key trends in biodiversity and forests and other relevant information.

Policy instruments for biodiversity and forestry conservation and sustainable use.

Mainstreaming biodiversity and forestry in other sectors and policy areas.